


Stars

by dearren



Category: The Maze Runner (2014), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Depression, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-26
Updated: 2014-11-26
Packaged: 2018-02-27 03:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2677502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearren/pseuds/dearren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alby liked to watch the stars with Newt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for (implied) depression and suicidal thoughts.
> 
> Originally written for n-ewt on tumblr.

Alby liked to watch the stars with Newt.

It was rare that they had enough time to share as much as a glance, leave alone anything else.

Since Alby had become leader, his life in the Glade had been pretty busy. He was glad to leave as much responsibility to the Keepers as possible but still he found himself organizing and scheming until late at night.

In the early days, when it had been barely ten or twenty of them, Alby and Newt had grown exceptionally close. The first moment he’d cast an eye at the tall, slim, blond boy he’d known there was something profound between them.

Soon enough, they figured that whatever had happened before they’d woken up in the terrifying Box, the two of them had known each other. Everything seemed to fall into place when they became friends, like it had always been that way.

Alby, usually distanced and commanding around others, could be the sweetest most childish boy around Newt.

And Newt, usually serious and goal-orientated turned into a goofy, lovable kid when with his best friend.

They just completed each other in a way, none of them would have dared to anticipate and hope. So it came naturally, that, when Alby became leader and Newt seemed like Minho’s second in command they had to sneak out the one or other night to be together.

Sometimes, they found an empty room in the Homestead where they talked and talked about whispered things and muffled their laughs as good as they could. Or they wandered around aimlessly just recalling what had happened since they last saw each other. But most of all, Alby liked to watch the stars with Newt.

Surrounded by the trees of the Deadheads or in the open in the green-blue grass, the skies above them with their white stars that looked like spilled salt on a black canvas.

They gazed up at the sky, counting the stars, pointing towards it when they saw a shooting star. The silence between them was comfortable, like a blanket having been wrapped around them, tying them together, wordlessly.

When Newt finally did talk, Alby rolled onto his side, placing his head on his arm, admiring his friend’s profile in the silvery light.

"D’ya think we’ll ever get out of this buggin’ Maze?"

His voice hung in the air for a moment before it sunk into Alby’s head. He shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably. Eventually. There’s gotta be a way out, right?”

Newt didn’t answer at first and Alby felt the change before he saw his friend’s gaze fall and heard his sad, small voice.

"I want to die, Alby."

It didn’t come unexpected. There was no one that knew Newt better than Alby and naturally he had witnessed the other boy losing himself in a state of depression over the months. He’d always known Newt wasn’t completely fine from the very beginning but it had just went downhill, really. Now, Alby didn’t even remember what had caused that trend but it probably didn't matter. Still, Newt’s proclamation hit him with such force that he felt momentarily nauseous.

"I know" he said, as the feeling had ebbed to a dull sickness.

Painfully long, neither of them said a thing until Newt rolled over, turned toward Alby, inches between them. Despite the darkness, Alby could see his own reflection in Newt’s soft, wet eyes. He looked worried.

"Thank you" Newt suddenly said.

"What for" Alby whispered. There was absolutely no need to whisper, as they lay in a clearing in the middle of the Deadheads. But it felt right, at that moment.

"Y’know for not abadonin’ me. Not givin’ up on me. There’s a lot I gotta thank ya for."

"I’d never" Alby said firmly. Without breaking eye contact, he found Newt’s hand and intertwined his finger’s with his friend’s. A smile flashed over Newt’s face for the fracture of a second before it got lost in more words.

"I know. You’re probably the only reason I’m still here. Couldn’t bear to hurt ya."

He scooted closer to Alby, burying his head under the other’s chin, sending his heart bursting into a million more stars that added up to the ones above. He felt like he was shaking internally.

"I couldn’t bear to lose ya, slinthead" Alby husked and even though it felt like such a fleeting gesture he placed a kiss on Newt’s head, breathing him in. Salt and grass and ivy and stone.

It came naturally. They slotted together like two parts of the same whole. Like kindred spirits. It was nice, it was easy and it felt like it was meant to be. The two of them.

Alby liked to watch the stars with Newt.

Alby liked watching Newt stargazing. 

Alby liked holding Newt in his arms while they both didn’t care about the stars at all.

Alby liked Newt.


End file.
